After a challenging loss to the 49ers, the Dallas Cowboys may find multiple areas to assess.
Trevon Diggs can air frustrations on social media, yet the Cowboys have strong reasons to retain head coach Mike McCarthy.
The Cowboys lost 30-24 to Brock Purdy, George Kittle, and the 49ers. Dallas led in the first half but stumbled in the third quarter, making a spirited comeback in the fourth.
Keeping a big-picture perspective is essential. And in Texas, that means recognizing the bigger picture.
Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy Deserves to Finish 2024
At present, the Cowboys lack a Super Bowl-caliber roster, especially factoring in injuries. With a healthy roster or a trade, this might change. But for now, they are not elite, and that isn’t entirely McCarthy’s fault. Jerry Jones built this roster, which lacks a dominant running back like Derrick Henry, a free-agent oversight they likely regret.
Changing coaches won’t fix the offense; a trade might. While a new coach could enhance defense, the team’s vulnerability against strong run games remains.
Dak Prescott has thrown two interceptions in three straight games. McCarthy believes ball security on offense is crucial, saying it would improve their turnover ratio, according to dallascowboys.com.
“It’s more about taking care of it,” McCarthy said. “If you take care of the football each week, you won’t lose the turnover ratio. We’re getting close to past takeaway rates but aren’t converting as much.”
The Cowboys’ problems extend beyond turnovers, such as consistency. They lost composure in the third quarter against the 49ers, which McCarthy noted was key in the loss, according to dallascowboys.com.
“The third quarter impacted the outcome—the three three-and-outs and one turnover,” said McCarthy. “We stayed in that lull too long. It felt solid at halftime but didn’t relieve the defense in the third.”
A Key Reason to Retain McCarthy
The Cowboys haven’t quit. Although Diggs had a lackluster moment and the team looked defeated against the Lions, they rebounded against the 49ers with a strong half. Despite a third-quarter collapse, they had a chance to win late, which shows resilience. McCarthy appreciated the team’s fight in the fourth, as he mentioned on dallascowboys.com.
“We did a great job fighting back in the fourth quarter and needed a couple more plays,” McCarthy said. “We still had a chance to win on the final drive. We’re disappointed. Preparation was good, but we have a lot to improve.”
The upcoming schedule also justifies keeping McCarthy. They visit Atlanta, then host the Eagles and Texans before facing Washington. These opponents have a combined 22-9 record through Week 8. They lead their divisions, except for the Eagles, who trail the Commanders in the NFC East.
Replacing McCarthy now, even with an interim coach, could set someone up for failure. An assistant might take the role, or maybe Jerry Jones could entice Mike Zimmer. But it’s wise to keep McCarthy and aim for a couple of wins during this stretch.
“We need to keep working,” McCarthy stated. “We must stop the run and commit to it all game. Until we play cohesively, we aren’t playing to our strengths. We’re losing the turnover battle weekly, and need to fix our run game. That’s our game plan, and we must improve at it.”
